Hearst Castle-inspired pinup in June Bombshell!
The June issue of Bombshell magazine is out! My Hearst Castle-inspired set by Marilee Caruso (who also did the makeup and hair) is in Book 1, including the inside cover facing the table of contents. If you want to grab this – or any – Magcloud publication on sale, there’s a discount code right now: MAG25.

Since I am a huge fan of William Randolph Hearst’s La Cuesta Encantata estate (“the enchanted hill,” now a California State Park located near San Simeon, CA), I wanted to incorporate a sliver of the atmosphere there. Virtually all aspects of the architecture and decoration were overseen by architect and Berkeley grad (Go Bears!) Julia Morgan over nearly three decades, and it remains one of her most impressive projects.

Since we couldn’t shoot at the actual house, we adapted Marilee’s “study” setup to double as W.R.’s library. The original room is very Spanish Baroque in ways that only a wealthy media mogul who collected lots of European antiques can replicate, but we did our best. I added a reproduction Greek vase (dude collected tons of art, including a huge ancient pottery collection from Greek antiquity which he highlighted in his library) and my “Citizen Kane” snowglobe to the studio set.
Marilee put images from my Film Noir shoot on the late 1940s tv console to add another layer of meaning, as both Hearst and Marion Davies (his girlfriend and major silent era and golden age of Hollywood star) were involved in the early American film industry. Given the tv cabinet and the more mid-century look of the studio set, we couldn’t do 1920s or 30s. And since the house was closed during World War II and Mr. Hearst and Davies left the house in 1947 due to the former’s ill health, we figured a small evening party in 1946 or 1947 “coulda happened” like this.
You can find this and all my issues via my Linktree.
Pinup Picnic on the cover of Retro Lovely’s 20th Century Retrospective 1950s Vol. 1
I’m thrilled that one of my “picnic pinup” photos by Marilee Caruso was selected as a cover for the Retro Lovely 20th Century Retrospective – 1950’s special edition! My Summer pinup cover can be found on Volume 1!

There’s also a six-page feature inside with more photos from the set. Just FYI – right now you can get 20% off on this issue and more at Magcloud using code MAG20 through 5/25/2023!

For this shoot, I wore a pretty 1950s Daisy-themed dress by Prettie Lanes (it’s a copy of an original from the fifties) and a Niçois hat from France. The necklace was made for me as a gift from a loved one, and just so happened to match. 😉
To grab a copy of my cover issue (or a poster featuring the cover art), here are the Magcloud links (don’t forget to use code MAG20 through 5/25/2023 to get 20% off):
Boudoir pinup by Bettina May in Retro Lovely’s Godiva magazine
I had the pleasure of shooting with the multi-talented and very lovely Bettina May back in March, and the pretty Victorian hotel photos we took that day are now on six pages of Retro Lovely‘s Godiva No. 57! Bettina did my sweet 1940s-style hair and makeup, too!

I wore two fabulous lingerie outfits made for me by Rachel of Buttress & Snatch in the UK, a blue tulle robe by GlamourGhoul on Etsy, and a black ruffled Cassandra robe by Catherine D’Lish.
More pictures after the jump… Continue reading “Boudoir pinup by Bettina May in Retro Lovely’s Godiva magazine”
The Brides of Dracula suck the life out of Retro Lovely’s Halloween in April special edition!
I love the 1992 Dracula adaptation with Winona Ryder and Gary Oldman. While watching the film in a Carson City theater auditorium last year (Fathom Events hosted a set of 30th anniversary showings back in October), I was struck by the idea of doing a pinup shoot featuring the count’s three hot vampire brides. Fast-forward to the end of April, and my dream was not only reality, it’s on the cover of Retro Lovely‘s “Halloween in April” special edition, Volume 1!

My friends Miss Melody Noir and Lena Von Noir kindly agreed to be my sister brides for the shoot, and Marilee Caruso – my favorite photographer! – signed on to do makeup, hair, and (of course) take the pictures.
More after the jump… Continue reading “The Brides of Dracula suck the life out of Retro Lovely’s Halloween in April special edition!”
Valentine pinup in Retro Lovely Magazine…and not a heart in sight!
Marilee Caruso shot a beautiful Valentine’s Day-themed pinup set for me last month, and you can see the result in Retro Lovely’s Valentine’s Day special edition #4!

More after the jump…
Continue reading “Valentine pinup in Retro Lovely Magazine…and not a heart in sight!”
Blade Runner cosplay meets published pinup
I love Blade Runner. It’s my favorite neo-noir film, and one of the rare novel adaptations that’s at least as good as the original source material. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I recently cosplayed my favorite replicant character from the movie, Rachael, for a photoshoot with Marilee Caruso.

Marilee did the 1940s-inspired “Rachael” hair (yes, there are rolls present) and makeup, and we used her classic “film noir” set, brand-new lamps, and some neon-red lighting to get a 1980s-does-1940s-gritty-mystery look. I’m wearing the Mariette Jacket by Pinup Girl Clothing with the Bad Girl Pencil Skirt in faux leather from the Vixen by Micheline Pitt line and Re-Mix reproduction Babydoll pumps.

The fruits of our labor are published in Retro Lovely’s Masquerade No. 28. You can find this issue – and all of my other recent pinup publications – here, via my Linktree.
Early 1960s pinup inspired by the golden age of Playboy in Retro Lovely #211
Everything happens at once, it seems! Back in September, Marilee Caruso and I shot a set of images inspired by the October, 1962 cover of Playboy magazine. Today, they became a six-page pinup spread in Retro Lovely Issue #211!


Marilee did the fabulous early 1960s makeup and hair (and lent me those awesome vintage earrings!), and I supplied my own clothes and vintage copy of the magazine. The playmate necklace (crystal pave bunny head) is a cheapie I got years ago on Ebay, the velvet dress is the olive green velvet Starlet Wiggle from the Vixen line by Micheline Pitt, and the shoes are my old reliable Christian Louboutin Piou-Piou patent stiletto pumps.


As always, you can get the issue straight from Magcloud (when you order a hard copy you get a digital copy for free, immediately). For all of my recent pinup publications, see my Linktree.
More photos from the shoot after the jump!
Continue reading “Early 1960s pinup inspired by the golden age of Playboy in Retro Lovely #211”


